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Home >> Learn About Habitat >> History of Habitat >> Timeline >> 1942-1964 Timeline: Roots
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1942–1964 Timeline: Roots

Roots Next
In 1942, Clarence and Florence Jordan and Martin and Mabel England found Koinonia Farm in Sumter County, Georgia as a "demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God." Koinonia Farm will later become the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity.
Soon other families join the Jordans and the Englands, and the community grows. From the beginning, the Koinonia community emphasizes equality and fellowship among all.
 
1942 The Jordan and England families found Koinonia Farm, a community where all people are treated equally, resources are shared and great responsibility is placed on being wise stewards of land and natural resources. Koinonia supports its work and community by selling what they grow and produce: eggs, chickens, milk and hogs.
1950 The Jordan family and other Koinonians are excommunicated from Rehoboth Southern Baptist Church for their views on racial equality.
1956 Boycott of Koinonia products by the local business community begins and continues until the mid-1960s.
Koinonia's mail order business begins.
1957 Clarence Jordan receives letter of support from Martin Luther King Jr.
1963 Clarence begins writing "The Cotton Patch Version," his translation of the New Testament gospels from the original Greek to Southern dialect.